Sewing machine



Feb. 13, U FE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Patented Feb. 13, 1945 SEWING MACHINE Donald A. Cuml'er,'ltidgewood, N. J., assignor to Willcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York- Application January 3, 1941, Serial No. 372,959

11 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to means for holding, uiding and feeding work in a sewing machine relative to the stitching mechanism.

Objects of the invention are to provide a sewing machine in which the feeding of the work is facilitated and in which the work is held against slipping sideways when contacted by the needle or needles, to thus eliminate needle deflection, 100D- er and needle interference and skipped stitches.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for achieving the aforementioned objects.

Thus, a feature of the invention resides in the provision of means extending longitudinally of the line of feed, for supporting the work and for engaging the same to resist adverse slipping thereof transverse the line of feed.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for reducin the work-contacting area of the cooperating portions of the work support and presser device to permit easier feeding of the work.

An important application of the present in-- vention is in connection with sewing machines of the type where an interfolded section of main plies of material is guided in a channel intermediate laterally spaced cooperating portions of the presser device and of the work support and feeding means.

Another feature of the invention, therefore, resides in the association of means with the guide channel mentioned above, which not only facilitate and make easier the feeding of the interfolded section longitudinally in the channel but which also serve to hold the interfolded section against adverse transverse slipping in the channel.

Another feature of the invention, related to the immediately foregoing features, resides in the association with the intermediate guide channel, which advantageously may be transversely inclined relative to the portions cooperating with the main sections of the plies of material to enable a feeding of the main sections of the plies in the same plane and to substantially reduce the usual bending of the plies between the main sections and the interfolded section, of fine pitch teeth extending longitudinally of the channel and of the line of feed.

.Advantageously these fine pitch teeth may be formed on the work support and with the apexes thereof disposed to oppose any lateral slipping of the material in the channel which might otherwise be induced by the pressure created by the needle or needles in contacting the work. However, these advantageous teeth may likewise be provided on the portion of the presser device overlying the channel, and alternately or in addition to the longitudinally extending work-supporting and -holding teeth formed on the work support like teeth may be be formed on a surface of the feeding means intermediate feeding means surfaces engaging the. main sections of the plies at opposite sides of the guiding channel.

Other objects, features and advantages will' hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of the sewing machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the sewing machine shown in Fig. 1, certain of the parts thereof being omitted to enable a clearer illustration of important elements of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a view looking downwardly on the organization shown in Fig. 2, with the presser device and feed dog removed.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the presser device.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. '7 and showing a modified form of the present invention.

Fig, 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the modified form of the present invention illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional detail view illustrating the holding and supporting teeth embodied in both forms of the present invention.

Before describing the present improvements and mode of operation thereof in detail it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, which are merely illustrative of the present preferred embodiments, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and the phraseology employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

One particularly advantageous application of the present invention is to a sewing machine of the type adapted to stitch together material sections interfolded to form a felled seam. Such a sewing machine is shown in Patent 1,796,111, granted March 10, 1931. To facilitate an understanding of the present invention there is illustrated in Fig. 1 the head end only of a sewing machine of the aforementioned type including a lower arm H in which may be located a conventional four-motion feed mechanism including on a feed dog carrier |2 a feed dog l3 for advancing the work along a line of feed relative to a usual stitching mechanism including one or more needles I4 carried by a needle bar l5 'mounted in a, head, not shown, overlying the lower arm.

Also, as is conventional, the sewing machine may include a presser bar l5 which like the needle bar I5 is carried by the head and on which, as by a clamp ring portion I1, is mounted a presser foot l8 which! presently will be described in detail.

Mounted in a usual manner on a cloth plate l9 secured to the lower arm II is a feller 20 for interfolding plies 2| and 22 of material, see Fig. 5, and directing the same to the stitching mechanism where the interfolded section 23 thereof is stitched together to provide a felled seam. A throat plate 24 formed with suitable needle holes 25 and mounted on an adaptor plate 26 supported on the lower arm is provided for supporting the material relative to the stitching mechanism after it leaves the feller 20.

' Preferably and advantageously, the throat plate- 24 and presser foot l8 are so formed that they provide a guide channel 21 for supporting and confining the interfolded or felled section 23 of the plies at an angle to the main sections 28 and 29 thereof which themselves are supported in the same or substantially the same plane. In this manner the usual abrupt bend which normally occurs in at least one of the plies at the point where the main section thereof joins the interfolded section, is avoided.

In thus providing this advantageous support of the plies as the latter are advanced relative to the stitching mechanism, the throat plate24 is formed with a transversely inclined recess 30 therein, extending lon itudinally of the line of feed intermediate work-supporting surfaces 3| and 32 which, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, are provided with slots 33 and 34 respectively for receiving laterally spaced feeding surfaces 35 and 38 on the feed dog l3. Defining the recess 30 is a bottom wall 31 inclinedrelative to the spaced work-supporting surfaces 3| and 32 which are disposed in the same plane, and a side wall 38, the 'bottom wall and the side wall intersectin the work-supporting surfaces 32 and 3|, respectively.

overlying the throat plate 24 is the presser foot l8 which may be made up of a plurality of independently movable sections but which in the form illustrated is comprised by a single section provided with a laterally spaced pair of work-enga ing surfaces 39 and 40 disposed in the same plane and complementary or opposed to the worksupporting surfaces 3| and 32 of the throat plate. Intermediate these surfaces 39 and 40 on the presser foot and coooerable with the inclined recess 30 in the throat plate to provide the guide channel 21 is an inclined recess 4| defined by an inclined top wall 42 and a side wall 43.

With this construction the laterally spaced feeding surfaces 35 and 36, which are disposed in a common plane, cooperate with the lateral spaced surfaces 39 and 40 of the presser foot l8 to en a e the main sections 28 and 29 of the material plies to advance the interfolde section 23 thereof in the inclined guide channel 21 and relative to the needles l4 which are movable downwardly through. clearance apertures 44 in the presser foot and the needle holes 25 in the throat plate .to stitch together the interfolded plies of material in the usual manner. Advantageously, however. and as shown best in Fig. 5 there is no adverse abrupt bend at the points where either of the material plies 2| and 22 enter the guide channel 21 and, moreover, the main sections 28 and 29 of the plies are engaged and uniformly advanced in the same plane.

To facilitate the advance of the material relative to the stitching mechanism and to oppose and eliminate any adverse slippage of the material sideways in inclined channel 21, as for example sideways slippage which might be induced by the pressure created when the needles contact the seam, there is associated with the channel 21 an advantageous work-supporting and -h0ldlng means 45.

This advantageous means 45, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3, 5 and 8, comprises a plurality of fine pitch teeth 46 having angularly related blunt material gripping and clearance walls 460. and 46b respectively, extending longitudinally of the line of feed and defined by closely spaced grooves 41 extending longitudinally in the bottom wall 31 of the recess 30. The provision of these teeth 46, which, as shown, are so formed and disposed as to present no obstruction to the ready advance of the interfolded section 23 in the channel, advantageously reduces the surface area contacting the seam and thus allows an easier feeding of the material. Moreover, and particularly when, as shown, the teeth are so disposed that the apexes and blunt walls thereof oppose the sideways pressure created when the needles contact the seam, any sideways skidding of the seam which might otherwise be induced by the component of needle pressure transverse the interfolded section 23 supported on an incline relative to the line of needle movement, is resisted and overcome. Also, and apart from the function of resisting sideways skidding of the material, the fine pitch teeth serve to hold and to guide the interfolded section in a uniform manner with respect to the stitching mechanism.

This advantageous holding, supporting and guiding of the material receiving the stitches, by making possible a particularly easy and uniform feed free of sideways slippage, it will be readily appreciated, eliminates needle deflection, looper and needle interference and skipped stitches which might result from the foregoing adverse factors overcome through a utilization of the present invention.

Preferably, and as shown, to supplement the action of the fine pitch teeth 46, above described, like fine pitch teeth 48 defined by closely spaced grooves 49 are formed in the base or top wall 42 in the recess 4|, with the apexes thereof disposed to oppose any sideways slippage which might otherwise be induced when the needles contact the seam. As in the case of the underlying teeth 46, the overlying teeth 48 reduce the area contacting the seam to permit an easier feeding of the material and also serve to hold the same to provide a uniform feed thereof free from adverse transverse slipping.

Alternatively or in addition to the fine pitch teeth 46 provided on the bottom wall of the guide channel, fine pitch teeth 50 exactly the same as the teeth 46 may be provided, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, man intermediate surface 5| provided on a modified feed dog |3a.which otherwise is of precisely the same .construction as the feed dog shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This intermediate surface 5| is disposed between the main feeding surfaces 35 and 36 which cooperate with the spaced surfaces 39 and 40 of the presser foot in engaging the main section 28 and 29 of the plies and feeding the material, and is movable in an intermediate slot 53 formed in the inclined bottom wall 31 of the recess in the throat plate. As will be appreciated and as shown most clearly in Fig. 6, it is preferable that the inter- ,mediate surface 5| on the feed dog |3a be inclined to correspond with the inclination of the guide channel. To provide a clearance for one of the needle I 4, an elongated needle hole 54 may be formed through the intermediate portion of the feed dog I3.

With either the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 5, or in Figs. 6 and 7, it is thus seen that there is provided an advantageous means which facilitates and renders easier the feeding of material, and which also holds the material, maintains the same against adverse transverse slipping and makes possible an improved operation of the sewing machine. the main sections 28 and 29 of the plies against any adverse tendency toward movement other" than in phase and in unison with the material advancing movement of the feed clog, transversely extending notches 55 may be provided in the work-supporting surfaces 3| and 32 adjacent the laterally spaced feeding surfacereceiving slots 33 and 34 in the throat plate as shown in Fig. 1 for example.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a sewing machine having at least one needle having a line of movement and feeding means with a line of feed, the combination of a work support having supporting faces spaced from each other transverse the line of feed and having a face intermediate said spaced faces and inclined relative thereto and to the line of needle movement transverse the line of feed; presser means cooperable with said feeding means in feeding material on said work support relative to said needle. said needle having a movement through said intermediate face; and teeth on said inclined intermediate face, intermediate said spaced supporting faces, extending longitudinally of the line of feed and formed with the apexes thereof opposed to the pressure exerted by said needle in penetrating said material.

2. In a sewing machine having at least one needle having a line of movement and feeding means with a line of feed, the combination of a work support having supporting face spaced i from each other transverse the line of feed and having a face intermediate said spaced faces and inclined relative thereto and to the line of needle movement transverse the line of feed; presser means cooperable with said feeding means in feeding material on said work support relative to said needle, said needle having a movement through said intermediate face; and teeth on said feeding means, intermediate said spaced supporting faces, associated with said inclined intermediate face, extending longitudinally of the line of feed and formed with the apexes thereof opposed to the pressure exerted by said needle in penetrating said material.

3. In a sewing machine having at least one needle having a line of movement and feeding means with a line of feed, the combination of a work support having supporting faces spaced from each other transverse the line of feed and having a face intermediate said spaced faces and To maintain Ill) inclined relative thereto and to the line of needle movement transverse the line of feed; presser means cooperable with said feeding means in feeding material on said work support relative to said needle, said needle having a movement through said intermediate face; and teeth on said feeding means and said inclined intermediate face, intermediate said spaced supporting faces, extending longitudinally of the line of feed and formed with the apexes thereof opposed to the pressure exerted by said needle in penetrating said material.

4. In a sewing machine having at least one movable needle and feeding means with a line of feed, the combination of feeding surfaces on said feeding means, spaced transversely of the line of feed; a work support; presser mean cooperable with said feeding surfaces in feeding material on said work support relative to said needle, said presser means and said work support having opposed portions defining together a work-receiving and guiding channel having side walls extending longitudinally of the line of feed; a d laterally spaced projecting means intermediate said spaced feeding surface and in said channel, extending longitudinally of the line of feed and parallel to said side walls, for maintaining said material against adverse shifting transverse the line of feed-in said channel as the material is moved relative to said needle.

5. In a sewing machine having at least one needle and feeding means with a line of feed the combination of presser foot means; worksupporting means underlying said presser foot means, having supporting faces spaced from each other transverse the line of feed for supporting main sections of plies of material in one plane and having a face intermediate said spaced faces and inclined relative thereto transverse the line of feed for supporting an interfolded section of said plies in a plane inclined relative to the plane of the main plies; and teeth defined by grooves in said inclined intermediate face, extending longitudinally of the line of feed for engagement with said interfolded section to support th latter and maintain it against adverse slipping transverse the line of feed as the ma.- terial is moved relative to said needle.

6. In a sewing machine having at least one needle with a line of movement and feeding means with a line of feed, the combination of feeding surfaces on said feeding means, spaced transversely of the line of feed; presser means having spaced material engaging surfaces opposed to and cooperable with said spaced feeding surfaces; means intermediate and angularly disposed relative to said spaced surfaces, for confining and guiding an interfolded section of main plies of material at an inclination relative to the line of needle movement; and toothlike means associated with said confining means, extending longitudinally of the line of feed and having the apexes thereof disposed to resist lateral slipping of said interfolded section as the needle penetrates the latter.

7. In a sewing machine having at least one needle and a feeding device with a line of feed, the combination of work-supporting means; presser means, said presser means and said worksupporting means defining a work-guiding channel extending longitudinally of the line of feed. and said presser means and said work-supporting means being formed with opposed work-engaging faces disposed at opposite sides of said work-guiding channel; and teeth defined by grooves in each of said means, extending longitudinally of the line of feed in said guiding channel, said teeth On each of said means being maintained against being received in the grooves defining the teeth on the other of said means by the cooperation of said opposed work-engaging faces.

8. In a sewing machine having at least one needle and feeding means witha, line of feed, the combination of a work support having'a portion inclined transversely of the line of feed; presser means having an inclined portion complementary to the inclined portion of said worksupporting mean and defining therewith a workguiding channel extending longitudinally of and inclined transversely of the line of feed; and fine pitch work-holding teeth on each of said inclined portions, extending longitudinally the line of feed, the apexes of said teeth being disposed to resist transverse slipping of the work relative to said inclined portions as the needle contacts the work.

9. In a sewing machine having at least one needle, feeding means having a line of feed and presser means, the combination of sets of cooperating feeding faces on said feeding means andsaid presser means, said sets being spaced from each other transversely of the line of feed; and means intermediate said spaced sets of faces, defining a work-guiding channel extending longitudinally of and inclined transversely of the line of feed; and a plurality of closely spaced -work-supporting and -holding teeth in said channel and extending longitudinally the line of means having an inclined portion complementary to said work-supporting portion; and teeth formed on at least one of said inclined portions, extending longitudinally of the line of feed and respectively defined by oppositely facing side walls, one of said side walls extending at an abrupt angle relative to the planes of said inclined portions and facing in a direction to oppose slippag of the work downwardly of said inclined portions transverse the line of feed.

11. In a sewing machine having at least one needle and feeding means with a line of feed, the combination of a work support having a portion inclined transverse the line of feed; presser means having an inclined portion complementary to said work-supporting portion; and teeth formed on at least one of said inclined portions, extending longitudinally of the line of feed and respectively defined by oppositely facing angular- 13! related side walls with one of said side walls of the respective teeth facing in a direction to 0ppose slippage of the work downwardly of said inclined portions transverse the line of feed.

DONALD A. CUMFER. 

